Postal Stationery .. Collecting Interests?

Since I am new to the group and have not found the nitch for Postal Stationery on this site yet, I thought I would send out a query and see how many people, out there in the void, collect this portion of the stamp realm? Me? I collect mainly foreign, but do have a fairly complete US "normal" collection of these critters.

In foreign, other than my worldwide collection, I specialize (if one can do that) in pre 1900 issued items(mint / used), also Austrian Empire used stationery, also German, GB and Canadian items, as well as, TPO, RPO, Seapost on Postal stationery. I have a list of smaller side collections, but that pretty well sums up the main ones.

What types of stationery do you all collect, if any?

SIDE QUESTION: Being new to the group, can one get custom Avitars accomplished?

So, The ball is in your court...

Bob

Hello Bob,



I'll bet there are a few members who collect postal stationery. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them, so I can't give you much direction.

However, I do know how to arrange for a custom avatar. (Mine is from my own collection.)
Check out this link here:
https://goscf.com/f/13

Create a new topic on that page and submit your avatar request.

I hope you'll enjoy spending time here!

~~Mary-Jane~~

I modestly collect US Postal Stationery items, however, my collection consists of mostly modern material (mint, used and first day cancels) and a nice bunch of cut squares from the earlier period (when cut squares were an acceptable way to collect them).

I find them interesting in that you can get a sizable number of them in your collection for relatively modest cost. However, I suspect a lot of people have lost interest as the US Postal Service issues very few of them anymore.

As for posting information about them, the "US Back of the Book" section has several posts relating to these items.

Hope it helps.

At one time I tried to collect US stationery cut squares, but I lost interest over the years. They make a good looking display collection, but there are many scarce ones so completion is impossible. I have quit, and now focussed on getting as many copies of the rare U373 as I can. You can see what I have found in 30 years searching/buying here: http://home.roadrunner.com/~adrion/cutsq.html

Actually the USPS issues 20+ per year. This year they are releasing 35 such postal stationery items (13 envelopes & 22 postal cards). They are usually NOT available at local PO's in general, philatelic windows in bigger towns have them as does the USPS Sales Division in KC.
Postal stationery is alive and well both in the US and Foreign countries. Canada for example issues around 10+ per year. GB an equal number. Other Foreign as needed usually a minimum of 1 per year (estimate).
It can be a challenge to get both Mint (easy) and properly used (harder) examples of each.
People still collect cut squares of the envelopes. Cut squares of the Postal Cards
is a bit rarer.
In the US, postal stationery items run from the current rates up to and including priority mail prestamped envelopes. Up until last year (or there abouts) they issued Official Mail postal stationery. Getting a legitimate used copy of those is VERY difficult.
Anyway, collecting said items is just another facit of US (or world) stamp collecting.
It is all fun...

I do collect US postal stationery, but on a passive basis.

I collect only US Stationery. EFOs, mainly. Penalty overprints, a bit. Some working die variety research (die 88, 2&3 cent circular die I). Helping out other guys working on their specialties.

Stationery is a interesting field. We're still finding new items to catalog. And what's great is that "it could be you" that finds the next item to be added to the catalog.

I'd like to see the whole envelope of your avatar ThomasGalloway.

Here are two "cut squares" that I learned to collect not for the cut square value, but for the handstamp cancellations.




Both of the above towns (Ashokan and Lackawack, NY) are now discontinued post offices, and for the most part I understand they are now underwater having been made part of the Merriman Reservoir.

An interesting account of these lost towns is at this link:

http://napanochny.tripod.com/id36.htm

Welcome to the group Bob

I collect the postal stationery of Canada, Belgium and Germany only plus the modern "Meghdoot" cards of India.

I also specialize in Canadian military mail, RPOs, postal history of Muskoka / Parry Sound. I also collect Belgian postal history.

I also like the Canadian and Belgian precancelled stamps too.

Chimo

Bujutsu

wt1. Those are cool postmarks. I knew an individual who was born in a town that is now at the bottom of a lake. He was sad that he has no place to go back to, other than to say I was born at the bottom of this lake!

Bujutsu. Great. Those Meghdoot cards are very numerous, wish you luck on getting them
all. Here is a Belgium # 1 used postal card.





Bob

Correction, that was a # 2 Belgium item. Sorry bout that.
BOb

Hello Bob and welcome to the group!

I don't collect postal stationery, but my 8 year old does, so I am always on the lookout for him.

We found some great unused Canal Zone postal cards at the Wichita Stamp show a couple of weeks ago. They were priced at 25 cents a piece which is well in his budget. He had a great time picking out a few to add to his collection.

Great to have you here and hope to see more of your collection, which I will share with the boy.

I_Love_Stamps,

I'll have to dig them out. It's two envelopes, a matched set. Both envelopes were in the press when the die went "Cheez-It" and struck both envelope blanks at the same time.

I'm rather fond of these matched sets. They're hard to find, being immediately separated at birth, as it were.

Thomas

ILS,

Ok, here 'tis. The top envelope resulted in a partial albino. The second envelope had one of his side flaps overlap the embossing target just a bit. The inset shows how the two envelopes fit together. The avatar has the two together as they were embossed.

All the pieces of a puzzle put together, quite striking!

Thanks for showing us.